From Brazil, Baird dismisses Hudak critics as ‘nervous Nellies’

TORONTO — Ontario Progressive Conservative Leader Tim Hudak is getting some very high profile support to help fend off challenges to his leadership from within the party.

Foreign Affairs Minister John Baird says the Tories improved their vote counts in four of five provincial byelections last week, and even though they only won one, it was an important breakthrough for the party in the city of Toronto.

Two members of Hudak’s caucus have publicly advised him to allow a leadership review at a policy conference in London next month, supporting some grassroots Tories who filed motions requesting a leadership vote.

Baird dismisses the critics as “nervous Nellies,” and predicts Hudak will be the next premier of Ontario.

In an interview from Brazil, Baird told The Canadian Press his Ontario Conservative cousins must be ready for an election at almost any time, and should focus on helping Hudak build on the gains from the byelections.

Hudak himself is out of the country on vacation, but supporters point out he got almost 79 per cent support from Tories when they held a mandatory leadership review after losing the 2011 election.